The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-09-22

now when he began to shine up to her.
| / s'pOse she thought he was sweeter
nor honey. Anyway, she married
him, and / don't reckon she's seen
many happy days sence. Women is
fools! Fools, l sayr
Maria Jane made such violent ges-
ture that the peas fell out OF her lap
and rolled over the floor. Max rose
slowly from under the bed aud cas-
ually ate all the peas he could find.
.'Most everybody blames Randy, of
course. They say there never was a
pleasanter man to git along with than
Mr.. Rankin. There's only a few as
has kind of sense of what ne really
is. Wall, whatever he is, he's got to
furl his sails now, for do believe, as
1 said, that the Lords goin' to take
him. He's sick, and Randy, soon's
she heard of it, which was night be-
fore last, was gone over to nuss him.
She's wuth fifty of him, say"
Evidently we should not spend the
day at present with Mrs. Rankin.
The story that Mrs. Yates had told
kept in our minds. The next after
noon an ..east turn" came up, so that
it was really cold sitting out in front.
| w . otuI bCu OAL q Wdlh LILO
i cliff road, which winds along above the
sea and close to it. Carriages were
whirling by US and the dust flew. By
this time we knew just where were the
different routes of the public vehicles,
| charges" they call them here. We
suddenly decided to take barge"
which went within quarter of mile
of that schoolhouse where the Rankins
| were.
Alighting, we walked through q
| small patch of sweet fern that sent up
| to US its oder Of wild and rock past
! ures. We were on hill and the ocean,
| gray and misty in its east turn, was
before US. There was the building we
sought, alone. its old red paint nearly
worn of, its whole aspect desolate.
| Now that we were here we suddenly
felt that we might be intruding. We
sat down in q bed of sweet fern
''sweet fern" they call it here, and the
| boys sometimes dry its leaves and
make cigars Of them.
Presently we heard sound at the
door, and, looking. saw the gaunt
form of Randy Rankin standing there.
Her face was turned away from us
| and toward the water. Her dark ging-
ham gown hung straight down. She
had her hands ciasped tightly before
her, and she suddenly flung them up
ward. There was not house in
sight-a fog was setting fast over
everything.
Turning to 60 back in the house, she
saw us and started. Then she recog-
nized us. We rose and she stepped
out in the tall grass about the old, flat
stepstone.
.'Tm mighty glad you've come" she
said hoarsely. 81 didn't dare leave
him, and I did wish somebody was
here"
Her scraggy face was perfectly pal
lid. She had not slept since she came
to the place.
"How is hep" we whispered.
"Hes goin' fast. ! don't expect
he'll last more'n to the turnin' of the
tide, and that's at eighteen minutes
past tonight. I've just ben a-lookin'
into his almanac to find out; it's COM
in in quick, amt it?, just listen"
We did not need to listen. The roar
of water dashing over rocks. sucking
| up through chasms, and pounding on
ledges was plain enough to hear. 1t
was now nearly 6 o'clock.
s'He amt known me sence the first
| naII-udN L WAS mere. Il1c
he was much obleeged to me for COM
knows I've done right a-separatin'
from him."
She looked off again to the ocean.
God knows 1 couldn't hel p it! He
knows sh'd have to do the same
thing over againi l shouldi l shouldp
She struck her hands to together. Her
hollow eyes famed. She was remem-
bering her life with the man who was
dying.
..Hush!' we said.
My friend put her hand on the wo-
mans clasped bony fingers.
She felt the touch and looked down
ON Carlos, her gaze softening in a
strange, sudden way that dimmed my
eyes. 1t was almost as though she
had never felt a touch so gentle and so
kind.
"Come in," she said moment after,
in a faint voice.
| And we went in. We knew that
we should not leave her again that
night.
1t was the most lonesome room
had ever seen. The desks had been
removed, but the floor remained as il
had been in the old time, when a coun-
try schoolhouse floor was made slant
ing from the back of the building
down to the front, where the teachers
desk was placed ON O platform about
six inches high. This platform was
still there and ON. this, as the only
level place, Mr. Rankin had his bed.
which was q substantial four-posted
one.
The windows were high and small.
Mr.. Rankin had evidently disposed OF
good deal of his first wifes furniture,
which he had taken when the separa-
, ton occurred between him and his
, present wife.
The cook stove was rusted irrepara
, bly,, which is thing which happens
quickly here by the salt water. On
, top Of it was Q small kerosene-iaml
!, stove, whose fame was heating some
[ thing in q tin dish covered with blue
. saucer. There were three chairs o
r black walnut and haircloth, very dusty
: and daubed.
The figure ON the bed was perfectl.
still and breathing deeply.
2 Mrs. Rankin sat down beside hin
and begarf mechanically to move a fai
h over the CHASTITY face on the pillow
l We sat down silently, each on a hair
s cloth chair. ALI the windows wer
4 open. and through them and the doc
d the salt air came in damply AM
strongly. The broad flame in the lam
:. wayered and smoked. The sound o
t the swift, incoming tide pervaded tn
Q place. had not sat there five min
r utes before ! was absorbed in listen
it ing to that tide, and almost counting
9 the distinct sounds that the larg
waves made as they broke on tn
? rough beach below us.
q MY friend rose and took the fa
y from Randy's hand. standing besid
n her and welding the fan slowly. RaI
l. dy sat rigid. She was watching tn
l. mans face.
if At last there was a change in tn
d sound of the rollers-an indefinite sot
% 4ening. We knew that the tide had b'
>, gqn'to go out.
n In pHcontrollahle, but silent, e.
e citement ] rose, standing still.
ouartar ~ q m hOur muSt have passed